All ages love the possibilities bound in the pages of a fantastical book and children are no different. Some of the most creative and entertaining fantasy books I have read were written for kids. So don’t let the age vector deter you. The books in this post may be geared towards children, but they are anything but juvenile.

I’m sure I would get angry comments if I did not mention the Harry Potterseries by J.K. Rowling or the Percy Jackson books by Rick Riordan, but we already know and love those books. If you haven’t read them then get going! As for the rest of the post, here are some great books you might not know about.

The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler had me enthralled. Alice had always been an avid bookworm but her life changes when she finds out that she is a ‘reader’ and can read herself into books. She must use her magic and smarts to bind the creatures in these special books to her while trying to find out if a devious fairy had a hand in her father’s death. The Forbidden Library and The Mad Apprentice are the two books in the series so far but I am sure there will be more.

Don’t feel sorry for Peter Nimble. He might not have real eyes but after stealing a box from a traveling merchant he now has three pairs of magical eyes and an amazing adventure ahead of him. I could try and tell you what happens in this book but I just can’t do it justice. If you like grand adventures with quirky details and some great humor then read Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes.

Rye O’Chanter doesn’t like all the rules and regulations in the village of Drowning. She also doesn’t like the strange noises she hears at night or the thing she comes face to face with in the bog on the night of the dark moon. It seems that only a band of outlaws and miscreants can save Drowning from a nasty beast. But can the untrustworthy be trusted? Find out inThe Luck Uglies. This book is so well written you can almost taste the lumpy gray seal meat and smell the stank bog.

For something a little more light-hearted try Nicolas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce. I have always been a fan of Joyce’s artwork and was pleased to stumble upon this book, the first in the Guardians of Childhood series. It tells the story of a young Cossack ruffian who eventually becomes Santa Claus. But before he gets there he has to work a multitude of other guardians to defeat the Nightmare King, Pitch. This is not an overly complex book, but it will put a smile on your face.

This very short list should give you a starting place to wade into the myriad possibilities of children’s fantasy books.